String wrapping machine



June 9, 1953 E. L.. ESTES 2,641,084

STRING WRAPPING MCHINE Filed sept. 1e, 195o 2 sheets-sheet 1 29 Q--- l5 1| 3o ff 34 27 f 4" 33 `f`ff3 23 Si, f @E il# ,9 H 26 2| l l f 4 y2 .I /r I, H 5 j l I l 'I UM 7 :g vg, im, -2o la H M\\ INVENTOR. ELBE TL E ESTES ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. L. ESTES STRING WRAPPING MACHINE June 9, 1953 Filed sept. 1e, 195o INVENTOR.

AT TOR N EY Patented June 9, 1953 STRING WRAPPING MACHINE Elbert Lee Estes, Woodburn, Oreg.

Application September 16, 1950, Serial No. 185,285

6 Claims.

This invention relates to string wrapping machines, and is particularly adapted for wrappinsr string about parallelly spaced wires in bean elds and the like.

The primary object of the invention is to wrap string around two parallelly spaced wires in a continuous operation.

In bean elds, a wire is stretched adjacent the ground surface and another wire is spaced above this wire, between which is wrapped string so that the beam vines can climb the string in theirV growing operation. l

Heretofore these strings were wrapped by hand labor, but with my new and improved machine, the string is applied to the wires in a continuous operation by a Wrapping attachment mounted on a tractor. One of these Wrapping attachments is applied to each side of the tractor, thereby making it possible to wrap two lines of wire at one time.

These and other incidental objects will be apparent in the drawings, specification and claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side View of my new and improved string wrapping machine mounted on a tractor, the said tractor being illustrated in broken lines.

Figure 2 is a detail fragmentary perspective view illustrating the lower part of the wrapping device.

Figure 3 is a front view of the wrapping machine applying the string to the wires, the tractor being shown in broken line position and partially broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary detail illustrating the spindles to which is mounted the cone of string, the said spindle being shown in section.

Figure 5 illustrates a pair of wires being strung between posts, as is the conventional arrangement in this type of trellis used in the growing of beans.

Figure 6 is an end view oi the string holding wires in their relation to the supporting posts ready to have the string applied thereto by the machine.

Referring more specically to the drawings:

My new and improved wrapping machine consists of a pair of frames I and 2, which are adapted to be bolted to the tractor 3, as best illustrated in Figures l and 3. Vertical tubular standards or frames Il are Xedly secured to the said frames by the clamps 5. Located on the lower ends of the frames are horizontal stub shafts 6, which are journalled within horizontal bearings l, forming part of the horizontal portions 8 of the frames 4.

Telescopically mounted within the tubular shafts Il) journalled within horizontal bearings I I at their upper ends forming part of the horizontal frames I2, said frames forming part of the vertical frames 9. Sprockets I3 and Ill are keyed to the shafts 6 and Ill and have the endless chain I5 trained therearound, and adapted to be driven by the chain Iii, which is trained about the sprockets Il, said sprockets being keyed to the shafts 6. The said chain IB is driven from a countershaft I8, which is mounted to the tractor 3 by the brackets I9 and IBA, which in turn support the bearings 20.

The countershaft I8 is driven from the power take-off shaft 2l of the tractor by way of the chain 22, which is trained about the driving sprocket 23 of the power take-01T and the driven sprocket 24, which is keyed to the shaft I8. The tubular frames 9 are tied together by the cross frame 25, thereby maintaining a spaced relation between the frames 9, best illustrated in Figure 3.

The frames 9 are held in a raised position maintaining the chains I5 in a taut running condition by the power lift lever or arm 26, the said lift lever forming part of the tractor. The connecting rods 2l are pivotally connected to levers 26 at their lower ends and to the posts 9 through the medium of cross frame 25 at 23 at their upper ends. The connecting links 2l are adjustable in length by the screw-eye 29, which is threaded into the upper portion 30 of the links. The object of supporting the frames in this manner is to be able to slack the chains I5 so that they can be disconnected while removing or placing the wires 3| and 32 between the runs of the chains.

The frames 4 are further braced to the frames I by the braces 33, best illustrated in Figure 1.

Cones of string 34 are mounted to the spindles 35, which are xedly mounted to the chains I5, best illustrated in Figure 4, by threading the said spindles into the hubs 36 and locking them by the lock nuts 3l. The spindle consists of hubs 38, which are rotatably mounted to the spindle 35 at 3S. These hubs have an extended shaft 40 iixedly secured therein at 4I by way of the key 42.

A friction brake 43 is maintained against the end 44 of the hub by the spring 45, the said friction brake or washer 43 is keyed to the spindle 35 holding the same in a non-rotating condition. The friction plate 43 is held against the face 44 of the hub providing a resistance to the rotation of the hub 39, which is adjustable by the nut 46,

which is threaded to the Spindle 35 and adapted frames i are posts S, which have horizontal stub to put more or less pressure against the plate 43 by way of the spring 45.

The cones of strings have cone shaped cores 41, which are adapted to be forced over the hub 38 by the holding nut 4B which is threaded to the extension shaft ed. As the string is being Wrapped about the wires, the desired resistance is offered to the unwinding of the cone of string by the friction plate i3 against the hub I will now describe how the machine operates. The wires 3i and 32 are removed from the fence posts 9, Figure 6. The frames 9 are lowered by the lifting of the tractor. This will slack the chains l5 so that they can be disconnected by the usual removable link. rEhe wires 3| and 32 are then placed between the runs of the chains i5 and into the guides and 50A by way of the slots or grooves 5l and 5in. I have illustrated three cones of string, the ends of which are tied to the wires, These strings are unrolled from the cones of string through the openings of the guide members 54, which form part of the chain l5, as best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

After the wires have been brought into place,

the lifting mechanism or arm 525i of the tractor raises the cross frame 25 through the connecting links 2l to the position illustrated on the drawings. it the time that the tractor is caused to move forward the chains l5 are driven in the direction of the arrows by the power take-ofi shaft 2i, chain 22 and countershat ES by way of the cross chains l5 and spindle shafts 5. The cone of string travels around the wires, the string wrapping in a spiral manner as illustrated. in Figure 1 about the wire as the tractor moves forward.

After the tractor wraps the wires, hand labor then stretches the 'wires between the pins 55, which are driven into the supporting posts fie, best illustrated in Figure 6. This tightens the string to the proper tension after t e same has been wrapped about the wires. When the machine reaches the end oi the row, the lifting device E is again lowered slacking the chains l5,

at which time they can be disconnected, the machine driven away rom the wires and brought in on the next row where they will be again ap plied to a pair of wires as above described.

Although certain specic embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many modications thereof are possible. The invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except in so 'Ear as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l, A machine for wrapping string about spacedapart para el wires supported posts as for climbing vines and for application to a propelled vehicle having drive means, comprising a telescopic standard adapted to be supported on a tractor, sprocket wheels mounted at the top and bottom of the telescopic standard, a detachable endless chain trained around the sprocket wheeis, spaced-apart spindles mounted on the chain, rotatable hubs on the spindles 'to receive conc-s of string, 'friction means between the spindles and hubs to govern rotation of the hubs when string is payed out, string guides projecting from the chain, guides :formed with slots to receive upper lower strands of wire around which string is to be wound, said guides being attached to and. projecting from the upper and lower ends or the telescopic standard, and means for operating the chain and simultaneously advancing the bar and chain parallel with the wires.

2. A machine for wrapping string about spacedapart parallel wires supported on posts as for climbing vines and tor application to a propelled vehicle having drive means, as defined in claim l, wherein the upper part of the telescopic standard is slidably mounted in the lower portion of said standard, power operated means for vertically adjusting the upper portion of the standard, and manual means associated with the power means for nal adjustment of the said standard.

3. A machine for wrapping string about spacedapart parallel wires supported on posts as for climbing vines and for application to a propelled vehicle having drive means, as donned in claim 2, wherein the power operated means includes a link pivoted to the upper portion of the telescopic standard, and a lever pivoted to the lower end of said link to vertically raise and lower the upper portion of said telescopic standard.

4. A machine for wrapping string about spacedapart parallel wires supported on posts as for climbing vines and for application to a propelled vehicle having drive means, as defined in claim i., wherein the hubs are formed with sockets and the spindles are for' Led with heads iitted in the sockets, the friction means including a disk slidably mounted on the spindle, a threaded nut engaging threads formed on the spindle, and a spring interposed between the disk and the nut.

5. An apparatus for winding string on spaced parallel wires comprising an endless chain, means for operating the chain, spaced-apart spindles extending from the chain to support a series of cones of string, each spindle having a threaded portion and a head, a hub having a socket to receive the head, a threaded rod extending from one end of the hub, a nut engaging the outer end of the threaded rod to abut against a cone of string supported on the hub, a disk slidably mounted on the spindle in rear of and in engagement with the hub, a nut engaging the threaded portion of the spindle, and a spring interposed between the dislr and the nut to adjust the friction between the hub and the spindle when string is withdrawn from the cone.

6. An apparatus for wrapping string about spaced parallel wires comprising a tractor, spaced-apart telescopic standards mounted on the tractor, arms extending outwardly from the top and bottom of each standard, sprocket wheels mounted on the arms, endless chains trained around the sprocket wheels, spaced-apart spindles extending from the chains to support cones of string, a brake associated with each spindle to control the friction between a cone of string and the spindle when feeding string from a cone, a wire guide extending outwardly from the lower end of each standard and disposed between the strands of chain, the guides being open for insertion of the wire, a string guide extending outwardly from each chain adjacent each spindle, a wire guide extending from the upper portion of each telescopic standard disposed between the runs of each chain and in vertical alignment with the lower wire guides, means for vertically adjusting the upper portion of each telescopic guide, and means between the tractor and the lower sprocket wheels for transmitting motion to the chains.

ELBERT LEE ESTES.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,541,302 Slangal Feb. 13, 1951 2,547,352 Wiemers Apr. 3, 1951 

